I Get the Final Say
by brookemopolitan
Summary: Vocal Adrenaline vs. New Directions all girls sing off. Gleek sisterhood, Corcoberry and some Puckleberry thrown in for good measure... Spoilers for up to Funk...anti Jesse sentiment aplenty!


**I saw Funk and was nearly sick. Jesse is ruined for me! However, I love that the Glee club finally stood up for Rachel, and Puck was so beautiful to her. I'm choosing to ignore the impeding Finchel.**

**I don't own, if I did, no eggs, and no Finchel!**

Rachel did all the things that you're supposed to do when you break up with somebody. She bawled her eyes out for two solid days, listened to sad music (ok, lets be accurate, she made MySpace videos of _That's What You Get_ by Paramore, _I Don't Believe You _by Pink and _All By Myself,_ though upon further reflection she decided it was far too Bridget Jones-y, especially as she sang into a hairbrush, and decided against posting it), and she treated herself to a spa treatment that involved full body wraps in several different fruits and vegetables, a hair treatment and bangs. Finally, Rachel Berry had swapped dance schools and joined a gym. Rachel was disgustingly sweaty and energised when she walked out of her _Zumba_ class (she was well on her way to the elusive _Zumba_ body, that was certain) when somebody blocked her path.

"You managed one funk number, so what. There is no way you're better than us." Rachel restrained herself from groaning into the face of Andrea Cohen.

"Well, then I guess you have nothing to worry about then, do you?" Rachel replied, sidestepping her way out of Andrea's path.

"The girls of Vocal Adrenaline want to issue a challenge to you. An all girls, gays excluded homage to a feisty female empowerment icon. We'll host you next Tuesday. Unless, of course, you don't want to step foot onto Carmel territory, now that Jesse doesn't want you, and from what I hear, neither does Shelby." Rachel froze. She turned around.

"Bring it on Cinderfella." She snapped. Rachel was satisfied that she won the stare off, before hesitating momentarily before heading into a _BodyCombat _class. She was struck with an irresistible urge to hit something.

Upon arriving home, Rachel scarfed down her chicken and hokkien noodles (no more pretending to be vegan, thank goodness) before showering and heading to her laptop. She clicked into her MSN window and promptly added all the girls from Glee into a conversation.

ThisDivaNeedsHerStage: Hello girls, I think I may have well and truly put my foot in it this time.

ChocolateThunder: wtf u on abt Rachel?

ThisDivaNeedsHerStage: I ran into Andrea Cohen from VA at the gym. 

LocaLatina: urgh, she is a particular brand of nasty. Rachel, I'm so sorry I ever called you manhands. That freak makes Finn dressed as Gaga look legit ladylike.

ThisDivaNeedsHerStage: Thanks Santana :D She issued us a challenge for a sing off, and then talked smack about Jesse not wanting me, and Shelby not wanting me either. She got what she wanted… I accepted the challenge… on behalf of all of us.

: what, another Glee vs. Glee sing off?

ThisDivaNeedsHerStage: a girls only challenge. We have to do an homage to a female empowerment icon. 

ItsBrittanyBitch: that sounds like fun. I know, why don't we sing that baby,baby,baby oooohhh song?

ChocolateThunder: Brittany, u kno dat song is sung by a boy, rite?

ItsBrittanyBitch: are you sure? His voice is squeakier than mine!

:We're sure, Britt.

GentlemenPreferBlondes: ok, so we have a sing off. I guess we can rehearse for it this weekend?

LocaLatina: sounds good to me. Now that the Cheerios are 6 times national champions, we have weekends free again *yay* 

: awesome. Rachel, your parents put in that rehearsal space in your basement, right? Why don't we all head over to your place Friday after school, we can start then, stay over and then keep working Saturday?

Rachel paused at the screen, deliberating for a few seconds before typing a response.

ThisDivaNeedsHerStage: …sure, sounds good to me, I'll just have to check it with my dads, but I'm about ninty percent sure it'll be ok.

ItsBrittanyBitch: I'm so glad I'll be allowed to come. My mom only started letting me have sleepovers two years ago. It'll be fun =D

ThisDivaNeedsHerStage: seriously girls; don't feel like you have to or anything. 

LocaLatina: Oh relax Twinkle Toes. We'll stay. See you Friday! Night chicas xxx

Rachel carefully realigned all the books in her locker.

"I hear you guys are going up against Vocal Adrenaline again." Rachel turned to see Puck leaning against the locker next to her. She nodded.

"Yes. Its girl versus girl." She said. Puck nodded thoughtfully.

"Urgh, not like that you pervert! We're singing against them at Carmel on Tuesday." Rachel explained. She rolled her eyes and shoved Puck playfully with her folder when he gave her a disappointed look.

"We'll be there. I swear to Moses, St. Douche even looks like he's going to egg you; he won't be able to sing again because I'll tear out his vocal cords with my teeth." Puck said seriously. Rachel frowned at him.

"With your teeth?" She asked.

"Shut up. It sounded way more badass in my head." He replied. Rachel pulled out her geometry set, textbook and graph paper and shut her locker. She began to walk down the hallway. She looked up at Noah.

"I really appreciate it." She said quietly.

"Appreciate what?"

"Slashing their tyres. Nearly getting expelled because you slashed their tyres. How upset you got. How much you wanted to throttle Jesse. The smack talk. All of it. I just really appreciate it. I didn't think anybody in Glee cared enough to get upset." Rachel said. Puck grabbed her arm, and stopped her in the middle of the hallway.

"Oh come on Rachel. Of course we all care. That guy is a rat. You don't get to cross one of our own and expect to get away with it. He doesn't get to treat someone as awesome as you the way he treated you and get away with it…" Puck abruptly cleared his throat and started walking. Rachel stopped him and wrapped her arms around his wide frame. She kissed his cheek.

"Like I said, thank you. It means the world to me." She said. They continued walking down the hall.

"Noah, where are you going?" Rachel asked.

"Math class. You'll let me copy your working, right?" He replied. Rachel rolled her eyes.

Rachel was nervous, that much was certain. She turned to the girls before she unlocked the door.

"I'll have to ask you to take your shoes off at the door. We have a shoe closet there for you to put them in. Yes, it's a little bit of overkill, but daddy insists." She explained. She unlocked the house and ushered them all in. she led them up to her room, and showed them where they could leave their things. Her room had been transformed into a jumble of mattresses, and it was painfully obvious to the girls that all the Manchester was brand new.

"So, I guess the first thing that we should probably do is have a snack, and then we can figure out what the heck we're doing for this glee off." Rachel said. They headed down to the kitchen, and Rachel pulled open the refrigerator.

"Ooh, look, daddy left us an antipasto platter." She said, pulling out a tray covered with cured meats, sundried and pickled vegetables and crackers. Rachel then headed to the pantry.

"And for those with less cultured palates, I got snacks as well." She added, pulling out a packet of Doritos.

"Ok, girls, you have got to relax. Take a seat, I swear nobody is going to come out and dress you in cashmere socks." Rachel said. They took a seat and began to snack.

"Wait, Rachel! That's meat! Don't eat it!" Brittany cried out as Rachel took a bite out of a cracker laden with salami and an olive. She chewed rapidly and swallowed.

"I'm not actually a vegan Brittany. Jesse is, and he used to go on and on about meat being murder, and how vegans would save the world that I eventually agreed with him so that he would stop talking; and I somehow wound up becoming a vegan myself in the process. This is one of the perks of not being with him." Rachel explained. Brittany nodded in relief. Rachel giggled when she saw Quinn move in on the ham.

"What? Puck's mom wouldn't let me eat pork, and it's all I've been craving! Leave me alone!"Quinn defended herself.

The girls ate, and then slowly traipsed their way upstairs.

"I'll just be a second girls, I'm going to change into something more comfortable. There's another bathroom, third door on the left if you'd like to do the same."Rachel said, as she pulled a change of clothes out of the drawer and headed into her bathroom. She emerged a few moments later in a pair of yoga pants and a red singlet. She frowned when she saw Santana and Mercedes going through her closet.

"Honestly Berry, you have the best stuff and you never wear it!"Mercedes said. Rachel shrugged.

"There's really no point. It gets ruined with slushie most of the time, or now, the new and improved egg facial. If I wear something to school, it means that I don't care if it gets destroyed."Rachel explained. Quinn waddled back into the room in an oversized tee shirt and cotton shorts.

"Ok, I say we decide on our number."Quinn said, plonking herself down on the bed. Rachel nodded, and picked up her laptop.

"Well, I'd say Madonna is out of the question, unfortunately. Jesse St. Jerk saw us do that."Tina said.

"It's a little obvious. And as much as I'd like to do Gaga again, I wouldn't put it past Vocal clones to do it, because they all secretly have boy parts."Santana added.

"Christina?"Tina suggested. Mercedes shrugged.

"Maybe, but none of us have that freaky range. So that eliminates Mariah as well." She said.

"Why does it only have to be one? That's just dumb."Brittany commented. Rachel stroked her chin.

"Brittany has a point. It has to be one artist, but there's no limit on how many songs we can do."Rachel pointed out.

"Girl, are you suggesting we mash up?"Mercedes asked. Rachel nodded.

"Well, yeah. Mash ups are kind of our thing, and it'll let us showcase each person individually, and I doubt Vocal Adrenaline will do anything like it. Jesse used to always complain that he didn't like mash ups. Something about loss of integrity to the original artist, but the way I see it, music is made to be reinterpreted."Rachel said.

"That just brings us back to the problem of which artist we're going to do."Quinn said.

"Well, none of us are harbouring unusual amounts of testosterone, so we need to do something that we can wear hot costumes for." Santana mused. Tina flicked through Rachel's iTunes.

"Seriously, Rachel? You have the _Love Never Dies _soundtrack? Did it make your heart die a little?"Tina asked. Rachel nodded fiercely, and then sat up.

"That's it!"She gasped. The girls all looked at her.

"The Pussycat Dolls. They're a perfect example of modern female empowerment. You know, its liberating to take your clothes off and be a sex symbol and what have you."Rachel said.

"How the hell did you make that connection?"Santana asked. Rachel shrugged.

"The lead singer is up for the role of Christine in the new _Phantom_ production. Come on girls, you can't pretend it isn't an awesome idea!"She said. Tina pulled up their discography.

"Ok, here we go. There's something here for everyone. Rachel, you obviously need to do something a little bit screw you, I'm better off without you, you stupid egg throwing pretty boy, and Santana, you get the most blatantly sexy number."Tina suggested.

"Ooh, ooh! I can do that leg thing they always do!"Brittany said, standing up and stretching her leg above her head. Mercedes whipped out her phone.

"I'm calling Kurt. He'll do us the best costumes ever."

The girls sat in Rachel's newly soundproofed basement, fiddling around with Rachel's keyboard and GarageBand when Rachel's dad (the Jewish one) walked in after work. He kissed Rachel's forehead and smiled at the girls.

"Ok dad, you don't have to remember names, but here we have Tina, Mercedes, Quinn, Brittany and Santana. Girls, this is my dad, Matthew."Rachel said.

"Hi girls, it's lovely to finally meet you all. Rachel has told me so much about each of you. Rachel, just let me know when you want us to order you dinner, and what you want."He said before heading out.

"Thanks for having us here Mr. Rachel's dad!"Brittany called out after him. Mercedes poked at a few keys on the laptop pad and hit enter with a flourish.

"Here we go girls... it's not so much a mash up as it is a medley, but I for one think it's really cool. Have a listen."Mercedes hit the space bar and music flooded the room. Brittany got up as she heard the tracks and started to vamp some dance moves along with it.

"Ok, I'm seeing us start at the back and moving through the aisles, and we definitely need to start in trench coats before we do a big reveal of the sexy costumes."Brittany said firmly. Rachel grabbed a whiteboard marker and quickly wrote it down on the whiteboard.

"Girls, I'm sorry to break the creative flow, but Beth is demanding some Thai food. Is it ok with you girls if we eat?"Quinn asked. After some debate over orders, Rachel took a list of food requests up to her dad.

Rachel pulled clean towels out of the linen closet and smiled at the girls. Figuring it was best that they start fresh on the choreography the next morning, so the best thing they could do was hit Rachel's hot tub. Rachel smiled at Quinn and pulled her away from the group.

"Just so you know, we turned the heat settings down just a little bit so that you can stay in as long as you want, ok?"She said discreetly. Quinn nodded.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"She asked. Rachel smiled.

"Because you're letting me."Rachel replied. She gestured for the girls to follow her out to the backyard, where the hot tub was bubbling away. After hanging their towels on the fence, they all slid in.

"This is the life."Santana commented. They all nodded in agreement.

"Hi daddy!"Rachel chirped. She smiled at the tall black man who came out of the house with a tray of fruity drinks. She introduced all the girls to him.

"Now, let me get this right. Mercedes, you're the one that goes higher than Mariah, right? And Quinn, you're the brave one? Brittany, you're the one that should audition for So You Think You Can Dance, you're Tina, the one with the coolest hair ever, and Santana, you're practically Selena reincarnated? Did I get all of that right pumpkin?" Her daddy asked. Rachel nodded.

"Oh yes, girls, mocktails. I promise, there's no milk in them, so you'll be able to sing the day away tomorrow."He added, handing out the drinks and heading indoors.

"So, you officially have the coolest parents ever."Mercedes commented. Rachel blushed and nodded.

"They're pretty great. I think I'll keep them."She replied. The girls fell into silence.

"Feel free not to answer this if you feel uncomfortable, but what was it like meeting your mom?"Quinn asked. Rachel stirred her mocktail and pondered for a few seconds.

"It was strange. We were so freakily similar that it was like looking at me in fifteen years time. I felt different, you know. I've never had a mom, so to have one was like living in a dream. And then she decided that she wanted her baby, not the person her baby had grown into. Then all the stuff with Vocal Adrenaline happened. I guess its proof you can't pick your family."Rachel said. She didn't miss the discreet way that Quinn's hand slipped to her belly.

The girls woke up the next morning to the sound of bacon crackling and coffee brewing.

"Do I smell bacon? Oh thank goodness your dads are normal!"Quinn groaned. She jumped out of bed and waddled frantically to the bathroom.

"Ok, so I guess we should have a plan of attack for this? Kurt says he can come over for costumes at like 1, so we should eat and then rehearse, because I'm sure he'll want to see what we've got before he designs us anything."Mercedes said.

"I don't care what we do as long as I get some damn caffeine in my body."Santana groaned, burying her head into the pillow.

"Girls, breakfast is ready!"Matthew called up the stairs.

The girls sat in the basement, clad in dance gear, stretching out. Mercedes fiddled with the speakers and set Rachel's laptop to play. Brittany stood up.

"Ok, so, like, I have a picture for this in my head, so let's see. Tina, I want you here..." She trailed off, and began to set people around the room.

"Ok, seeing that we finally got all the choreography down, now seems like a good time to stop and eat." Tina commented. The girls nodded in agreement. They sat down to a dad prepared chicken Caesar salad and fresh pineapple juice, chatting about Regionals costumes with the radio blasting in the background. Figuring it was only fifteen minutes until Kurt was due to be arriving, the girls went to soak up some rare vitamin D around Rachel's pool while eating popsicles. Brittany began bouncing along with the radio.

"Ok, so like, even though we don't live near the coast, this song is totally about us. How awesome are we?" Brittany said, before catching a piece of raspberry ice that broke off her Popsicle stick and popping it in her mouth.

"You're welcome to melt my Popsicle any day Britt."Tina answered. Brittany stuck out her tongue and laughed.

"You know ladies; it hurts that you'd have a sleepover and not invite me."Kurt said dramatically. Rachel rolled her eyes playfully.

"Hi Kurt."She said, hugging him quickly. They all exchanged hellos, and Kurt dumped his frankly enormous bag onto the patio table.

"Ok, here we go, costume drawings. I tried to work to everyone's strengths and weaknesses. You can tell me if things need to change. I went with pink and black as a colour scheme, cause you all look fabulous in it."He said. He pulled one out.

"Ok, Cedes, I'm thinking tutu, and corset. We'll roll with the fact that you have a frankly spectacular rack. Brittany, a slightly Swedish look... shorts with suspenders and a crop top. Tina, I want something that has a rock and roll taste...tartan mini, those stunning lace up boots of yours, and a vest style top. Santana, I thought you could Jai Ho it up a little."Kurt gasped out. He turned to Quinn.

"Straight out, tell me if you hate this."He said. He pulled out a drawing of a cropped top and tight pants.

"I figure that we want to show off that we're not ashamed of that stunning baby bump of yours. We're really proud to say that you're one of us, and we're not going to dress you in a sack and shove you in the back like they would."Kurt said. Quinn picked up the drawing and pondered it for a second.

"Screw it. Let's go there. I have a better looking pregnant belly than most people. The only place I've gained weight is there and on my boobs and butt." She said firmly. Kurt turned to Rachel.

"And this, ma Cherie, is the crème de la crème."Kurt said, pulling a design out of his bag. Rachel looked at it.

"My dear, you have the best damn legs on this planet, and Jesse St. Pindick couldn't keep his eyes off them in the funk number, and he wasn't the only one."Kurt explained suggestively with a wink before giving off a cough that sounded spookily like Pucky Puck. Rachel took a deep breath and looked at the honestly tiny outfit that looked suspiciously similar to French knickers and a corset that Kurt had designed, and willed the blush on her cheeks to reside.

"Honestly Rachel, you wear that, and you even hint that you might bat for more than one team, and even I'll have a hard time keeping my hands off you."Santana said.

"Are you sure you're going to be able to get all of this done in time Kurt?"Rachel asked. Kurt nodded and waved a hand.

"Too easy. I started sewing last night." He said dismissively. He sat down on the swinging love seat.

"Now show me what you've got."He said.

Kurt had carefully stored the costumes in the choir room so they'd be safe from slushying. Rachel had turned her phone off the second she'd received a text message from Vocal Adrenaline that attempted to throw her off her A-game. Mr. Schue had found out about the sing off, and unsurprisingly, he insisted on coming along for moral support. Rachel adjusted her trench coat uncomfortably before climbing into Mercedes dad's jeep.

"You nervous Rach?" Quinn asked her quietly. Rachel nodded tersely.

"Of course I am. It's the first time I'm gonna see Shelby since everything went down. And you know, Jesse's going to be there. I'm just worried it will all go pear shaped." Rachel replied.

"Rachel, I really think you're stressing over nothing. If St. Asswipe tries a thing; Puck will turn him into Play-Doh."Santana said. Rachel sighed.

"I really don't know where you're getting this idea that Puck is my knight in shining armour from."Rachel said.

"Aw, come on Rach, turn that frown upside down!"Brittany called from the front seat, and promptly began blasting _California Girls_ from the car speakers.

"Well, now that No Directions has finally made it here, we'll take our home turf privileges and perform first."Andrea snapped from the stage. From their school girl costumes, it was obvious who they were performing an homage to. Their rendition of _Baby One More Time_ was quite cliché, actually, and Rachel found their technical accuracy a little boring, especially because it came without actually caring about the performance. She gestured to the girls, and they carefully snuck to the back of the hall. Mike, their music man, gave them a wink as they headed off. The Vocal Adrenaline girls finished.

"Oh my gosh, they were that intimidated they actually left? Go team!" Andrea gasped out.

"Guess again Fabio."Puck called out as Mike hit play. A heavy beat began to fill the room.

**Boys call you sexy (What's up sexy)  
And you don't care what they say  
See, everytime you turn around they screamin' your name**

**Boys call you sexy (What's up sexy)  
And you don't care what they say  
See, everytime you turn around they screamin' your name**

Tina began to strut down the aisle, the girls dancing behind her like a catwalk singing back up

_Now I've got a confession_**[Ha Ha Ha Ha]  
**_When I was young, I wanted attention_**[Ha Ha Ha Ha]  
**_And I promised myself that I'd do anything_**[Ha Ha Ha Ha]  
**_Anything at all for them to notice me_**[Ha Ha Ha Ha]**

The girls stopped at the front row and moved onto the stage one by one

_But I ain't complaining  
We all wanna be famous  
So go ahead and say what you wanna say  
You know what it's like to nameless  
Want them to know what your name is  
Cause' see when I was younger I would say_

Once all the girls were on stage, they launched into the chorus

**When I grow up  
I wanna be famous  
I wanna be a star  
I wanna be in movies**

**When I grow up  
I wanna see the world  
Drive nice cars  
I wanna have groupies**

**When I grow up  
Be on TV  
People know me  
Be on magazines**

**When I grow up  
Fresh and clean  
Number one chick when I step out on the scene**

**But be careful what you wish for cause' you just might get it  
You just might get it  
You just might get it**

Santana eyed Tina down and pushed her away as the music changed. She slowly began to unbutton her trench as she began to sing

_Come on baby, loosen up my buttons babe  
Loosen up my buttons babe  
Baby, won't you loosen up my buttons babe?  
Loosen up my buttons babe_

Santana threw away the trench coat and stood on the stool brought on stage by Mercedes. The other girls followed suit

**I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby (Uh huh)  
But you keep fronting (Uh)  
Saying what you going do to me (Uh huh)  
But I ain't seen nothing (Uh)**

I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby (Uh huh)  
But you keep fronting (Uh)  
Saying what you going to do to me (Uh huh)  
But I ain't seen nothing (Uh)  
(Ah-ah-ah)  
I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby (Uh huh)  
But you keep fronting (Uh)  
Saying what you going to do to me (Uh huh)  
But I ain't seen nothing (Uh)

I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby (Uh huh)  
But you keep fronting (Uh)  
Saying what you going to do to me (Uh huh)  
But I ain't seen nothing (Uh)

The beat changed again, and Mercedes stood front and centre

_I know you like me_ **(I know you like me)**  
_I know you do_ **(I know you do)  
**_That's why whenever I come around_  
_She's all over you_ **(she's all over you)  
**_I know you want it_ **(I know you want it)  
**_It's easy to see_ **(it's easy to see)  
**_And in the back of your mind_  
_I know you should be on with me_ **(babe)  
**  
Rachel took the opportunity to flip her hair as they changed positions for the chorus

**Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?  
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?  
Don't cha?  
Don't cha?  
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me?  
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me?  
Don't cha?  
Don't cha?**

Brittany stepped forward and did a set of several gymnastic tricks before landing in a split. She shrugged innocently

_It's funny how a man only thinks about the  
You got a real big heart, but I'm looking at your  
You got real big brains, but I'm looking at your  
Girl, there ain't no pain in me looking at your_

Brittany slid out of the split and sat with her legs hanging over the edge of the stage

**I don't give a  
Keep looking at my  
'Cause it don't mean a thing if you're looking at my  
Ha, I'ma do my thing while you're playing with your  
Ha, ha ha, ha ha ha ha**

Mercedes and Santana came forward and pulled Brittany to a standing position as they stood in a clump and sang together

**Every boy's the same  
Since I been in the seventh grade  
They've been trying to get with me  
Trying to ha ha ha, ha ha ha**

Quinn stepped forward and ran a very deliberate hand over her bulging stomach (which looked every bit as fabulous as Kurt said it would)

_I see you looking at me  
Like I got something for you  
And the way that you stare  
Don't you dare  
'Cause I'm not about to  
Just give it on up to you  
'Cause there are some things I won't do  
And I'm not afraid to tell you  
I don't ever want to leave you confused  
_

The girls came up behind Quinn and popped out around her like a fan

**The more you try  
The less I bite  
And I don't have to think it through  
You know if I'm into you**

The girls split off into pairs and began to dance together****

I don't need a man to make it happen  
I get off being free  
I don't need a man to make me feel good  
I get off doing my thing  
I don't need a ring around my finger  
To make me feel complete  
So let me break it down  
I can get off when you ain't around  
Oh!

There was a freeze in the music. Rachel stepped forward as a slower beat began , and she found herself under a spotlight.

_I never needed you to be strong  
I never needed you for pointing out my wrongs  
I never needed pain, I never needed strain  
My love for you is strong enough you should have known_

I never needed you for judgment  
I never needed you to question what I spent  
I never ask for help, I take care of myself  
I don't why you think you got a hold on me

Rachel noticed that the spotlight spread out as the girls came in to harmonise with her

**And it's a little late for conversations  
There isn't anything for you to say  
And my eyes hurt, hands shiver  
So look at me and listen to me because**

Rachel smiled as the beat sped up, and she started her _Saturday Night Fever _arms

_I don't want to  
Stay another minute  
I don't want you  
To say a single word_  
**Hush Hush, Hush Hush**  
_There is no other way  
I get the final say  
Because  
I don't want to  
Do this any longer  
I don't want you  
There's nothing left to say_  
**Hush Hush, Hush Hush  
I've already spoken  
Our love is broken  
Baby Hush Hush**

Rachel heard the shift in the music and fluttered her eyelashes

_First I was afraid I was petrified_

Rachel pouted and kept singing  
_Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side  
_

She pretended to swoon into Mercedes' arms (including a perfect, toes pointed, knees straight, thigh to nose leg extension, thank you very much)

_But I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong  
But I grew strong I learned how to carry on_

**Hush, hush, hush hush  
I've already spoken, our love is broken baby**

Rachel grinned at Mercedes, and they began to harmonise

**Oh no, not I  
I will survive  
as long as i know how to love  
I know I will stay alive  
I've got all my life to live  
I've got all my love to give  
and I'll survive  
I will survive  
Hey Hey..**

The girls broke into a dance break, where they got to bring back the funk just a little, with a few disco moves thrown in for Mr. Schue

**Hush, hush, hush, hush  
There is no other way, I get the final say,  
I don't want too, do this any longer  
I don't want you, there's nothing left to say  
Hush, hush, hush, hush  
I've already spoken, our love is broken  
Baby hush, hush**

The girls finished centre stage, Quinn sitting in the centre on a stool, Brittany in the Russian splits in front of her, Rachel and Santana in front splits going from the stool on an angle, and Mercedes and Tina standing back to back, all of them with their fingers on lips. The New Directions boys were going crazy, and from the shocked expressions on the faces of Vocal Adrenaline, they'd killed it. They stood and curtseyed, and Rachel laughed out loud when Santana called something out about where Man Hands 2.0 could stick it.

The girls had been told they could use the change rooms, but Rachel, too scared of further pranks, threw on a pair of jeans over her costume and put on her trench coat for the drive home. She sat awkwardly on a bench in the hallway, hoping nobody would turn up to torment her. A familiar figure walked down the hallway.

"That was brilliant. You truly are your mother's daughter."Shelby said. She continued to walk down the hallway.

"It doesn't make me selfish."Rachel called out. Shelby stopped.

"To want you. To want you and to want my dads. That doesn't make me selfish, or a bad person."Rachel said. Shelby turned around.

"I'm allowed to have my mom. I know I seem grown up and so different from the baby you gave away, but I still need you."Rachel said simply. She was shocked to feel herself crying.

"I needed you when I was wearing a slushie on my face every day. I needed you when the boy that I really believed was the Melchoir to my Wendla pelted eggs at me after telling me he used to love me, while fully believing that I was a vegan. I needed my mother to tell me that washing said eggs out of my hair with warm water was a bad idea."Rachel gasped out. She felt Shelby sit down next to her.

"And I need my mom now, because I need to tell someone that instead of having a crush on the goofy jock that I should have a crush on, I have a crush on the boy who tortured me for two years straight, but was the first one to look out for me when my Melchior broke my heart."Rachel sobbed.

"I need to feel important to somebody" Rachel whispered. She felt Shelby's arms come around her. They sat like that for a few minutes, Shelby whispering soothing noises to Rachel as she cried her heart out.

"Baby, I am so sorry."Shelby whispered to Rachel as her tears subsided.

"Listen to me Rachel, you are important to me."She added. Rachel frowned.

"Then why don't you want me?"Rachel asked. Shelby gave her a bitter smile.

"I want you more than anything, my baby girl."She replied. Rachel threw her arms around her neck.

"Then this Friday, we go see the replay of _Cabaret_ at the Anton St. Theatre, and we go get dinner afterwards. I want to know you."Rachel said against her neck. Shelby pressed a kiss on Rachel's forehead.

"There is nothing I would like more."She said, before pulling her phone out of her pocket and swapped numbers with Rachel.

"Sweetheart, I'll see you Friday."Shelby said, putting her hand on her shoulder and gesturing over to a figure that was standing by the lockers. Shelby walked past him.

"Anything you did to my male lead because he broke my daughter I will accidently on purpose not see, we clear?"She muttered. The figure nodded and walked towards Rachel.

"That was pretty hot."Puck commented. Rachel nodded, and discreetly scrubbed at her face with a tissue.

"Thanks Noah," she said.

"And just so you know, she's not the only one that wants you. But I want you for entirely different reasons."He added.

**Fin**

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